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UK.gov flings £30m at driverless car R'n'D, wants plebs to speek their branes

'Driving with both hands on the wheel where possible'

The government is paving the way for driverless cars by launching an open consultation online – and a £30m competition to win funds for research and development into autonomous vehicle technologies.

It is estimated that cars with driver assistance features will reach the market in “two to four years”, whilst driverless vehicles will hit UK roads in the 2020s.

The consultation seeks public opinion to a proposal which seeks to change rules so that autonomous vehicles can be insured for use on the roads.

The Highway Code and other regulations are to be adapted to safely allow driver assistance systems to support lane changes in motorways and parking vehicles by remote control.

“Britain is leading the way but I want everyone to have the chance to have a say on how we embrace and use these technologies,” said Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

The proposal outlines the benefits of having autonomous vehicles and lists improving safety, enabling better use of road space, and enhancing mobility as its main focus.

But this comes after the world witnessed the first fatal autonomous vehicle crash. Last month, a man driving his 2015 Tesla Model S on Route 27 in Florida crashed into a 18-wheel tractor trailer after he and the computer system failed to spot the trailer. It was reported that the man may have been watching Harry Potter at the time.

“Our roads are already some of the safest in the world and increasing advanced driver assist and driverless technologies has the potential to help cut the number of accidents further,” McLoughlin said.

This is not the first time that the government have decided to support driverless cars. In February, £20m was awarded to research projects into developing autonomous vehicle technologies. Next month, another £30m from the Intelligent Mobility Fund will fund further research and development projects.

An additional £19m fund is also supporting driverless car projects in Greenwich, Bristol and a joint project in Milton Keynes and Coventry. ®

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